Special forces creed, prayer, and Overview

• I am an American Special Forces Soldier! A professional!
  
• I will do all that my nation requires of me. I am a volunteer, knowing well the hazards of my profession.
  
• I serve with the memory of those who have gone before me. Roger's Rangers, Francis Marion, Mosby's Rangers, The First Special Service Forces, and Ranger Battalions of World War II, The Airborne Ranger Companies of Korea. I pledge to uphold the honor and integrity of their legacy in all that I am - in all that I do.

• I pledge to uphold the honor and integrity of all I am in all I do.
  
• I am a warrior and professional soldier. I will teach and fight whenever and wherever my nation requires. 

• I will strive always to excel in every art and artifice of war.
  
• I know that I will be called upon to perform tasks in isolation, far from familiar faces and voices. With the help and guidance of my God, I will conquer my fears and succeed.
  
• I will keep my mind and body clean, alert and strong; for this is my debt to those who depend upon me.
  
• I will not fail those with whom I serve. 

• I will not bring shame upon myself or Special Forces.

• I will maintain myself, my arms and equipment in an immaculate state befitting a Special Forces Soldier.

• I will never surrender though I be the last; if I am taken I pray that I have the strength to spit upon my enemy.

• I will never leave a fallen comrade. 

• My goal is to succeed in any mission - and to live to succeed again.
  
• I am a member of my Nation's chosen soldiery, I serve quietly, not seeking recognition or accolades. God grant that I may not be found wanting, that I will not fail this sacred trust.

• De Oppresso Liber

 BACKGROUND

The U.S. Army recently gave permission to reprint a prayer written more than 40 years ago for Special Forces members. Command Chaplain Lt. Col. Tim Willoughby said, “The prayer has been a very important part of our culture here.”

The prayer is inscribed in a stained-glass window above the entry to the Special Forces chapel at Ft. Bragg, N.C.

According to the Dayton Daily News, Alliance chaplain John Stevey was an Army chaplain at Ft. Bragg when he wrote the prayer to encourage the Green Berets. The wallet-sized prayer was to remind the troops “of the spiritual nature of what they were doing,” Stevey said.

The prayer accompanied Special Forces troops deployed in support of operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. The prayer appears on T-shirts and sweatshirts and is sold at the Ft. Bragg's JFK museum.

Stevey’s goal was to remind the Special Forces members of their dependence on God and their higher mission. He wanted to “remind the soldiers that they are not just brutes, that there is a higher project they are working on—to defend the defenseless and free the oppressed.”

Chaplain Willoughby said the prayer “strikes a chord with Special Forces soldiers who acknowledge God as their source of strength.” The Special Forces prayer is an important weapon carried by these elite military members in their role in the fight against terrorism.

Almighty God, Who art the Author of liberty and the Champion of the oppressed, hear our prayer.

We, the men of the Special Forces, acknowledge our dependence upon Thee in the preservation of human freedom.

Go with us as we seek to defend the defenseless and to free the enslaved.

May we ever remember that our nation, whose motto is “In God We Trust,” expects that we shall acquit ourselves with honor, that we may never bring shame upon our faith, our families, or our fellow men.

Grant us wisdom from Thy mind, courage from Thine heart, strength from Thine arm, and protection by Thine hand.

It is for Thee that we do battle, and to Thee belongs the victor’s crown. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power and glory, forever, AMEN.

The men of the Green Beret are masters of their profession, the profession of arms.

Theirs is more than a job or an occupation. It is a way of life that requires a personal commitment found nowhere in society. Its obligation is dedication...its demand's duty and loyalty...its principle, integrity...and its reward, personal satisfaction.

Their countrymen see them as the epitome of the American Fighting man. Their badge of distinction is the green beret known and respected worldwide.

They wear it proudly!